On duty, this Ganesha punishes helmetless riders

Think Lord Ganesha is only here to bless you?

You cannot be too wrong! This walking Ganesha is catching hold of traffic offenders, making them do ‘baski’ and distributing free helmets to spread the message of road safety.

An FM Radio network joined hands with the Bengaluru Traffic Police to get ‘Lord Ganesha’ to spread the importance of protective head gear.

A person dressed as Ganesha caught hold of traffic offenders, made them do squats as a symbolic act of asking for forgiveness from the lord and distributed free helmets.

The awareness campaign that kick-started on Monday will continue till Saturday.

It was held in every congested and busy traffic junctions of the city, including Sony Signal at Koramangala, Queen’s Circle, Kundanahalli Gate, Sadashiva Nagar, MG Road, Silk Board junction and Basaveshwara Circle.

“The entire Bengaluru Traffic Police department is supporting it. At every
signal, a traffic police officer who is overseeing that
junction goes along to support the programme,” said Anupam Agarwal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru Traffic Police (East Division).

A total of 100 helmets have been distributed so far.

No second chance

“The campaign ‘Second Chance Nahi Milega’ draws inspiration from mythology to say that while Lord Ganesha ended up with an elephant’s head after being beheaded by Lord Shiva, most people are not fortunate to get a second head or a second chance in life,” said Nisha Narayanan of Red FM. “Bengaluru’s traffic problems are of common knowledge by now. Despite traffic rules, people still ride without helmets, putting themselves at grave risk,” she added.